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Movie Review: Snow White And The Huntsman

Fairytale film adaptations (well... ANY adaptation for that matter) are a popular movie genre for Hollywood. In recent years, we've seen such movies as Alice in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood and the similar Mirror Mirror (a more family-oriented Snow White movie). For this movie review on the blog, I'm going to be writing about the dark interpretation of a fairytale: Snow White and the Huntsman.

The Premise: Once upon a time in a kingdom far far away, there ruled a royal family with a daughter who had skin as white as snow (the first line had to be story-like... back to reality). After the untimely death of the queen and a devastating battle against a glass army, the kingdom reigned victorious and the king remarried to a beautiful woman, Raveena (Charlize Theron). Come their wedding night, she killed her new husband and took over the kingdom with her sinister glass army. In actuality, Ravenna was an evil sorceress.

Several years later, the kingdom has fallen into disarray and torment. Ravenna has ruled with an iron fist, ordering her army and brother to take over the neighbouring lands and steal the youth of young woman. Trapped forever in the tallest tower, Snow White (played by Kristen Stewart) sits day-by-day alone to live without love and admiration. After an upsetting message from the Magic Mirror, Ravenna orders that Snow White be put to death but in an unexpected occurrence, she manages to escape into the forest away from the Evil Queen. Desperate to steal Snow White's heart and beauty, Ravenna enlists the help of The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to track her down and bring her back. While not giving too much away of the plot, Snow White and The Huntsman join forces against the Evil Queen and her fight to kill Snow White.

The Good: Snow White and the Huntsman was surprisingly a good movie. Whenever there is a film that is being adapted from a classic fairytale, sometimes the writers like to be original and present their own plot or interpretation to the story. Most times the changes can be innovative and exciting (Alice in Wonderland) while others are pointless and could ruin what was already a weak plot (Red Riding Hood). Removing the entire premise that this is about Snow White, the movie could standalone as its own story.

Another highlight was the tone. Snow White and the Huntsman was dark, gritty and could be reminiscent of a Tim Burton-esque film. A traditional "happily ever after" and the gentle fairytale undertones were nowhere to be found, which could also be a positive compared to other films in the same genre. Tragedy could strike, characters could die and the villains weren't menacing in a melodramatic fashion. Charlize Theron showcased her talents as the Evil Queen and even Kristen Stewart played a good part in her role as Snow White. Suffice it to say, it felt more realistic and grounded, even in a fantasy flick like this.

The Bad: The only downside that I had to this film was the plot and storyline. Sure... we know that this movie was based on the tale of Snow White and that it's going to follow the same arch from the childhood tale. The problem that I kept facing when watching it was the "creative changes" that the writers had created to make the storyline different. I liked most of the differences that were implemented to improve the film but there was a single twist in the story that I expected and wished that it wouldn't have been so obvious from the beginning. By not spoiling details for those that have yet to see it, you may agree with me in terms of Snow White's decision in the end and at the climax of the movie.

The Results: 4/5! If you're looking for a dark and new interpretation of a fairytale then Snow White and the Huntsman may be for you. It takes a popular childhood story that most have known and develops it into an overarching story of love, action and a battle between good vs. evil. The CGI special effects were great and Charlize Theron shines in her role as the Evil Queen, possibly even outdoing Kristen Stewart at times to be the dominant lead role. Plot and storyline could have been improved to be a little less predictable but it was great nonetheless. In terms of all fairytale live-action adaptations, Snow White and the Huntsman may be a great one to watch or add to your future viewing list.

Agree or Disagree with the review? Leave you comments below and let us know what you thought of the movie.

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About Justin Carreiro

Justin is a longtime TV buff and gamer. He loves chatting about shows, playing video and board games, and his not-so-secret love for reality tv. He is also a fan of horror movies, music and a bookworm at heart. He spends his time in Toronto working in PR and Social Media.